CVS Covid Shots: Who Can Get Them, Where, and Why It’s So Confusing

If you’ve tried to figure out whether you can still get a Covid shot this fall, you’re not alone in being confused. The FDA recently narrowed approval for updated vaccines, greenlighting them only for higher-risk Americans—those 65 and older or people with underlying health conditions. The idea was to target those most vulnerable. The reality? Pharmacies, doctors, insurers, and patients are now scrambling through a fog of mixed rules.

On paper, the FDA says the shots are for:

• Adults 65+
• Younger people with health conditions like diabetes, obesity, asthma, kidney disease, or other chronic issues
• Kids at higher risk depending on the vaccine brand: Moderna covers 6 months+, Pfizer 5 years+, Novavax 12 years+

But there’s a catch: proving you’re high risk might look different depending on where you live. Some pharmacies let you self-attest (basically, just say you qualify). Others could demand a prescription or a doctor’s note.

Right now, CVS is offering Covid vaccines without a prescription in 34 states, including California, Texas, Ohio, and Wisconsin. But not in places like New York, Virginia, Florida, or D.C., where you’ll need a prescription—or you’ll be out of luck until federal advisers weigh in.

Amy Thibault, a CVS spokeswoman, said the list could change anytime depending on federal guidance. Translation: don’t be surprised if what’s true this week isn’t true next week.

Walgreens, the second-largest pharmacy chain, hasn’t given clear answers either. In some states, its website says patients need a prescription. In others, appointments just aren’t available.

“It’s like an obstacle course,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco. “I don’t know anybody who’s not confused.”

Technically, yes—but it’s murky. Doctors and pharmacists could give the shot “off-label,” meaning outside the FDA’s narrowed approval. But that puts providers in a legal gray zone, and many won’t risk it without clearer CDC guidance.

That guidance is supposed to come from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which meets Sept. 18–19. But with recent shake-ups at the CDC, even that timeline feels shaky.

Until then, many healthy Americans under 65 may be told to wait.

This is where things get really messy. The CDC used to recommend Covid shots for all kids and pregnant women. But earlier this year, under pressure, it softened its stance. Now:

• For children, it tells parents to “consult your doctor.”
• For pregnant women, there’s no blanket recommendation.

That’s left pediatricians and OB-GYNs scrambling.

“Parents may have to look around quite a bit to find a place to get their child vaccinated,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Here’s another unclear piece. In past years, Covid shots were free after CDC recommendations. This year, insurers are waiting to see how the FDA and ACIP line up before deciding what they’ll cover.

Tina Stow, spokesperson for the insurance lobby AHIP, said plans will make “evidence-based” decisions. Translation: no guarantees yet.

Experts say protection wanes over time, so timing matters. If you’re high-risk, the advice is: don’t wait. If you’ve recently had Covid, some doctors suggest holding off for about three months. Others say get the shot before high-exposure moments like holidays, school, or winter travel.

Michael Osterholm, an infectious-disease expert, puts it bluntly:

“Can you get the vaccine? Technically you can. But the roadblocks are so significant, it almost guarantees most people won’t.”

Covid vaccination rates are already sliding—just 23% of adults and 13% of kids got an updated shot last season. Adding hurdles like prescriptions and patchy pharmacy access could push those numbers even lower, even as cases creep back up.

Doctors warn the result may be more people skipping the vaccine entirely.

“It’s raising more and more barriers,” Chin-Hong said.

For now, the best advice: check your local CVS or pharmacy’s rules before showing up, talk to your doctor if you’re not sure you qualify, and expect more changes once federal advisers make their next move.

With input from the Washington Post and the New York Times.